He looked from the coyote to the Akita. "Err...Your medic in there asked me if I wanted an ice pack too but... Your boss would probably use that as a way to get me to work more...Something about, using resources.". North nodded to the Akita, giving her a polite (but small) smile. "You must be the dog Swiftpaw and Grif were talking about. Kikyo, right?"

Swiftpaw takes a step back, and looks over how the shepherd is moving about now.. You seem to be walking much better now, North. But i wouldn't cut your care short, just because your afraid of a little work.

Lady Kikyo turns to greet the new comer, with a formal bow. Hai! I am Lady Kikyo, Pleasure to meet you North-san. She dusts off a log with her paw, sitting down upon it. Patting the log for North to sit next to her. If i may be so bold, North-san. What has made you want to wonder off by yourself into the forest? Did you come looking for us, or did you not know that we were here?

You seem to be walking much better now, North. But i wouldn't cut your care short, just because your afraid of a little work.

A short "Feh...". Escaped North's muzzle as he crossed his arms and looked away. His ears flattened a small degree as he grumbled something under his breath that sounded something like. "Not afraid of work...". He didn't refuse the pack because he was afraid of working more. North just thought he was clever enough to see it as a way for Grif to make him stay here longer.

Keeshah wrote:

Lady Kikyo turns to greet the new comer, with a formal bow. Hai! I am Lady Kikyo, Pleasure to meet you North-san. She dusts off a log with her paw, sitting down upon it. Patting the log for North to sit next to her. If i may be so bold, North-san. What has made you want to wonder off by yourself into the forest? Did you come looking for us, or did you not know that we were here?

North scratched the back of his head. "Well...". He looked at the Akita. She seemed decent enough. And she called him 'North-San' (not that he knew what san meant but... It sounded nice). "Ok... I guess.". He slowly walked over and sat down next to Kikyo. He looked down at his paws as he spoke. "So, first question. I actually wasn't planning on going anywhere near the forest. But I guess my mind got lost in some other things...and so did my sense of direction. And no, I didn't come looking for you guys. Your coyote hear.". Nodding in Swiftpaw's direction. " just happened to find me."

He looked down at his paws as he spoke. "So, first question. I actually wasn't planning on going anywhere near the forest. But I guess my mind got lost in some other things...and so did my sense of direction.

So, you just wandering lost in thought and got lost in the woods. You were not running away from anything. An now, you will be wanting to return to your human family?

Roarin wrote:

And no, I didn't come looking for you guys. Your coyote hear.". Nodding in Swiftpaw's direction. " just happened to find me."

Swiftpaw smiled proudly at having done so well, her tail swishing side to side behind her.The old grey muzzled akita smiles softly. That is the way it should be. Now if you had found her. I regrettably would have had to find out why and how that happened. The old momma dogs gaze affixing firmly upon the coyote. as she snaps her fingers and points at the ground before her. Swiftpaw 's tail swooshes up between her legs, as her ears lay back against the sides of her head. She squirmed uncomfortable under the intently piercing gaze of Kikyo. She quickly drops down to kneel down on the spot Lady Kikyo pointed too, bowing her head down to the ground. Swiftpaw trembles on the ground, she feels miserable and scared that she has upset and worried Kikyo.It deeply concerns me that she reviled herself to you alone. Finally letting Swiftpaw free of her holding stare, to look back at North. Her judgement of your character seems to be sound. But most distressingly, the brashness of youth has her taking unnecessary chances, that could have cost us are scout. Kikyo reaches down to caress under Swiftpaw's chin, tilting her head to look up at her.More importantly, one who i like to think of as one of my own pups. Swiftpaw whimpers. Please forgive me, Momma-san. I meant no disrespect and deeply apologize for having caused you to worry about me.

So, you just wandering lost in thought and got lost in the woods. You were not running away from anything. An now, you will be wanting to return to your human family?

North looked up at Kikyo sharply. "What?! No I'm never going back there!" He blurted out. His ears twitched in annoyance at his own outburst and he took a deep breath. "I...left because they weren't treating me well. Missing meals. Days spent home alone." He shrugged. "So I left. Simple." His face went back to his blank expression. Course it hadn't been so simple. He didn't tell her about how he sat on his front lawn for the last time at four A.M for two hours, trying to sort out the pros and cons of leaving. He hadn't told her about how he spent most of the night trying to write a respective letter to his owner to explain why he left, only to crumple up his last draft and eat it. Walking down his street seemed to take hours when in reality it was about ten minutes. But now that his house was far away, it was easier to leave it behind. Besides, he was better off without his owners. Right?

Keeshah wrote:

Her judgement of your character seems to be sound. But most distressingly, the brashness of youth has her taking unnecessary chances, that could have cost us are scout.

North looked from Kikyo to the coyote. Now that he thought about for a minute, the Akita seemed to bear similar personality traits to that of Grif. It's just that she seemed nicer. North shrugged at the comment. "Well, nothing ventured... nothing gained." Not sure if he was defending the coyote, or defending his own actions.

North looked up at Kikyo sharply. "What?! No I'm never going back there!" He blurted out. His ears twitched in annoyance at his own outburst and he took a deep breath. "I...left because they weren't treating me well. Missing meals. Days spent home alone." He shrugged. "So I left. Simple."

Kikyo, Cups her hands together and bows her head.I apologize, I didn't mean to upset you, North-san. Looking back up into his eyes, she continues on. Do you realize that now that your own, your always going to be alone? that you are often going to be going hungry? Kikyo reaches out to take ahold of the shepherds hand.Even if you join up with us, there will be times that you will be alone, times that you will go hungry. The only consolation would be that your living life as you want. Living free of humans is a lot harder life than most expect it to be.

Roarin wrote:

North looked from Kikyo to the coyote. Now that he thought about for a minute, the Akita seemed to bear similar personality traits to that of Grif. It's just that she seemed nicer. North shrugged at the comment. "Well, nothing ventured... nothing gained." Not sure if he was defending the coyote, or defending his own actions.

That is often true, and luck favors the bold. But one should make very sure that the reward is well worth the risk being taken. Out here in the wild, even a small injury could prove life threatening.

Kikyo, Cups her hands together and bows her head.I apologize, I didn't mean to upset you, North-san. Looking back up into his eyes, she continues on. Do you realize that now that your own, your always going to be alone? that you are often going to be going hungry? Kikyo reaches out to take ahold of the shepherds hand.Even if you join up with us, there will be times that you will be alone, times that you will go hungry. The only consolation would be that your living life as you want. Living free of humans is a lot harder life than most expect it to be.

"Living with humans hasn't been exactly rewarding either..." North muttered. The dog glanced at Kikyo with a perplexed look. Why was she telling him this? Did she was to dissuade him from leaving? Or was she just telling him the hard facts? The GSD shook his head. "I made the choice to live without them. And I plan to see it through" He looked back at the Akita. "I may not know how to live in the wild. But I know how to look out for myself. I've been doing that for a long time."

Keeshah wrote:

That is often true, and luck favors the bold. But one should make very sure that the reward is well worth the risk being taken. Out here in the wild, even a small injury could prove life threatening.

North shrugged. "You guys seem to be doing pretty well. You got medics that can heal your injured.". Referring to his recently bandaged foot.

"You guys seem to be doing pretty well. You got medics that can heal your injured."

"But," Grif pointed out, catching the last of the conversation as he appeared at Akita Kikyo's side (having spoken to the others concerning the fight), "we only have medics because we knew enough to trust each other, and because we decided that it would be a good idea to band together and share our strengths. Every person in this camp is of importance, from the smallest pup to the oldest dog." Shooting a grin towards Kikyo. "Without the group dynamic, a lot of us would have already died, of starvation or illness or injury. I certainly would've lost an eye, which would have impeded my ability to see, and thus survive," he said, tapping with one finger at his scar, "And without the healers' expertise it certainly wouldn't have healed so that my sight is nearly like new. I could've been blind. And that's only one of my many injuries. Accidents do happen, you know." He paused, shooting a glance down to inspect North's bandaged foot. Nice work done, control the swelling and pain, lend support. "Though they happen more often when one is alone and loses his temper with no one to console or aid him." He looked back up at North, both paws raised to show that he didn't mean to offend, just pointing out what Grif saw to be a fact. He shrugged, looking to Kikyo.

"So! If we could think of an appropriate favor for North to return in exchange for our services... then, well, he could be out of camp easily by dark, and probably before then. Nothing too strenuous, though. Normally we'd have a visitor do some simple manual labor, hauling and such, but I wouldn't ask that of you with your ankle's condition."

"Though they happen more often when one is alone and loses his temper with no one to console or aid him." He looked back up at North, both paws raised to show that he didn't mean to offend, just pointing out what Grif saw to be a fact. He shrugged, looking to Kikyo.

The GSD said nothing, only twitching his ears at the remark.

caelei wrote:

"So! If we could think of an appropriate favor for North to return in exchange for our services... then, well, he could be out of camp easily by dark, and probably before then. Nothing too strenuous, though. Normally we'd have a visitor do some simple manual labor, hauling and such, but I wouldn't ask that of you with your ankle's condition."

North shrugged. "I could still handle some heavy lifting. But, what'd you have in mind?". He crossed his arms and looked at Grif.

Kikyo looks up an back at Griffon. Then gets up and formally bows to Griffon. Greetings Lord griffon, so wonderful to see you again. I take it that you have restored the harmony within the camp?

"Kikyo..." Griffon says, exasperated, "You know how I feel about the whole 'Lord' thing. How am I supposed to relate to the rest of the camp if you teach them to set me apart?" He shook his head, pausing as Swiftpaw rose, then turning towards North. One glance at the GSD's posture... Crossed arms, closed posture. Not an ally. Not neutral. Tending towards... negative reaction, lack of trust, dislike, etc. Or it could indicate insecurity, but thinking too of North's somewhat... grudging manner, probably not the latter."Well, if you're not adverse to heavy lifting, then... how about you help with the hauling group? To stay safe, this camp moves around quite a lot. We're practically nomads. That means a lot of hauling extra supplies and tents to our next chosen location. It's a little bit of a walk, but if you think you can handle it..." Grif let himself trail off, his statement transforming naturally to a question, waiting for the GSD North to indicate yes or no.

The wolf stirred from his sleep, his stomach clenching whilst he gasped for air until he panted heavily and looked around with intrigue at the animal's homes, starting with the squirrel's home. Squinting his eyes to see what was up there, all he could see though was the hole where he lived, which was high up embedded into the tree-side.

Thoughts floated through his head, asking questions such as,

Who was the leader? Will he be accepted? And why the hell do rabbits cover themselves in that horrible berry juice?

He staggered to his feet and looked around, the feeling of being sick sunk deep into the recesses of his mind and stomach, his paws treading carefully on the ground as he gazed curiously at the animals' home.

"Well, if you're not adverse to heavy lifting, then... how about you help with the hauling group? To stay safe, this camp moves around quite a lot. We're practically nomads. That means a lot of hauling extra supplies and tents to our next chosen location. It's a little bit of a walk, but if you think you can handle it..." Grif let himself trail off, his statement transforming naturally to a question, waiting for the GSD North to indicate yes or no.

North nodded. "I can handle it.". He responded quickly. Heavy lifting shouldn't be a problem. Handling jobs that required strength was always his strong suit (He thanked genetics for that). He shifted his weight off his injured foot for a second as he felt a twinge of worry that it might inhibit his ability to complete the job. But he quickly shoved that thought into the back of his mind. This should be easy. "Just point the way."

"Okay, off hand, no, I haven't a clue about finding nuts," Felix said, "I don't usually go looking for them. I generally go after berries, veggies, roots..." He looked around, "can one of you take this back to the wolf? We need to make a quick trip to my den to get him something to eat."

North nodded. "I can handle it.". He responded quickly. Heavy lifting shouldn't be a problem. Handling jobs that required strength was always his strong suit (He thanked genetics for that). He shifted his weight off his injured foot for a second as he felt a twinge of worry that it might inhibit his ability to complete the job. But he quickly shoved that thought into the back of his mind. This should be easy. "Just point the way."

Kikyo steps up.I must beg a moment. Might i be so bold as to ask that if you have any special skills that could be of help to us? Cooking, hunting, medical, trapping skills?

North scratched the back of his head, not really sure how he should answer. Being a pet he didn't have very many traits that would benefit him in the wilderness. His ears did perk up at the mention of cooking, but he didn't say anything. "Nothing really. I'm good at manual labor. Construction... I learn stuff pretty quickly... But, nothing special.". Most of the stuff North learned about the world beyond his neighborhood was through informative shows on the television. His favorite shows were ones that involved woodwork or heavy duty electrical tools (There's the occasion when he watches Extreme Home Makeover, but it's just because he likes the part where they destroy the house). Sadly there was many a day when his owner's mom hogged the TV to watch her cooking shows. Since there was nothing better to do he'd usually watch them too...North waited for Grif to give him his instructions.

"Well, then," Griffon said, ears twitching as the others spoke, "Might as well put you on the hauling squad. It doesn't require any skill, just some brawn. Going from point A to point B. Easy. The walk's mostly downhill on the way to the new location, so you shouldn't have much of a problem even with your ankle."

His ears swiveled back, and a moment later the tall female doberman, Rachav, appeared, ducking her head in automatic greeting and deference to Grif. Another couple of seconds passed, and then the two dogs who had been involved in the fight wandered up, one with a smile and a limp and the other looking much worse for wear and sporting a dark scowl. The latter clutched at one of his arms and walked stiffly, careful of moving his injured shoulder.

"Lord Griffon," Rachav said in a quiet, low voice, focusing intently on Grif's face as he turned to appraise the two dogs, "The fight has concluded. The victor is Ralph. However, both have suffered some injury." Both bedraggled dogs kept their eyes on the ground, though "Ralph" continued to grin.

Griffon sighed, then spoke to Kikyo, Swiftpaw, North, "It appears I've some work to attend to, and a couple of dogs to reprimand." Now both dogs scowled, each blaming the other for their misfortune. Grif sighed again. "They'll certainly get an extensive talking to. I'd hoped I wouldn't have to review camp rules with those who have been here so long, such a waste of time... but so be it." He paused, then tacked on as if he'd nearly forgotten, "Oh, yes. North. Stick to Rachav, here," gesturing to the doberman, who gave North a cursory cool look, "She'll help you with your hauling duties. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask her. Rachav, please have him out of here by sunset. And don't be too hard on him." Rachav nodded, though she looked vaguely displeased.

"Kikyo, Swiftpaw..." Grif said, raising a paw in farewell. "Ralph, Mackey. Come." The two dogs shifted their feet, waiting to follow. Ralph had adopted a rather sheepish expression. Mackey just looked sullen, solemn, still holding his hurt arm. "I'll be in my tent if anyone needs me." And with that Grif strode off, the other two hurrying to keep up.

Rachav looked over at North. Her nose wrinkled in dislike. "Lord Griffon might have asked me to take it easy on you. And you may expect me to because of your... condition. But you had better pull your weight. I will not have freeloaders in this camp. No matter how soft Griffon wants me to be." Her voice remained as quiet as before, lowered nearly a whisper, but her words were clipped, sharp as she spoke. She stood and glared at North, her back rather stiff and straight, arms crossed. She was one to be perpetually in a bad mood, and it showed on her face, in her posture, and even in her tone of voice.

Meanwhile...

Quote:

"It's alright. I barely noticed," he replied.

Pavelle breathed a sigh of relief. "Well. That's good," she said, forcing a slight smile. At least she hadn't seemed to have offended him any. His sister, on the other hand...

Quote:

He looked around, "can one of you take this back to the wolf? We need to make a quick trip to my den to get him something to eat."

And speaking of Jack's sister. She was alone with the wolf, wasn't she? And hadn't Felix said that he was bound to get a little... crazy? Was it a good idea to leave her alone with him? He was a wolf, after all, much larger and stronger (presumably) than a rabbit. "Yeah, it's probably a good idea to send someone back. Just to be safe..." She herself could go, she supposed. But Felix was going to show her the other buckets back at his den, the ones for carrying water, and he might need someone to help him carry supplies, too. She wanted to be as useful as possible. That way... well, maybe she would owe him one less favor...? Well, she'd offer to check on the wolf if no one else wanted to.

"Well, I don't wanna do it. Jess'll just get mad at me for leaving when she said to stay," Jack said vehemently.

Daxter wrote:

The wolf stirred from his sleep, his stomach clenching whilst he gasped for air until he panted heavily and looked around with intrigue at the animal's homes, starting with the squirrel's home. Squinting his eyes to see what was up there, all he could see though was the hole where he lived, which was high up embedded into the tree-side.

Thoughts floated through his head, asking questions such as,

Who was the leader? Will he be accepted? And why the hell do rabbits cover themselves in that horrible berry juice?

He staggered to his feet and looked around, the feeling of being sick sunk deep into the recesses of his mind and stomach, his paws treading carefully on the ground as he gazed curiously at the animals' home.

"Hey, Wolf. Shouldn't you be resting?" Jessica asked from her position standing against a tree.

_________________I'm a shape-shifter. I'm currently in whatever form I feel likeParadigm Shift by meI do not actually believe any of what I'm saying.RP character sheets

"Lord Griffon," Rachav said in a quiet, low voice, focusing intently on Grif's face as he turned to appraise the two dogs, "The fight has concluded. The victor is Ralph. However, both have suffered some injury." Both bedraggled dogs kept their eyes on the ground, though "Ralph" continued to grin.

Kikyo smiled proudly at Rachav, then scowls as she notices Ralph continuing to smugly grin at a moment like this. The big akita fluffs herself up, and speaks in a deep menacing voice (5) octaves lower than normal. One might have thought she was a male by the sound and tone. While giving the feeling you might have been watching a Samurai movie. What are you grinning about! You dishonor us before are guest! While your worthless actions have disturbed the peace and tranquility of the camp.

caelei wrote:

"Kikyo, Swiftpaw..." Grif said, raising a paw in farewell. "Ralph, Mackey. Come." The two dogs shifted their feet, waiting to follow. Ralph had adopted a rather sheepish expression. Mackey just looked sullen, solemn, still holding his hurt arm. "I'll be in my tent if anyone needs me." And with that Grif strode off, the other two hurrying to keep up.

Kikyo continue to glare at the two dogs as they hurry off. who now seemingly wanting to stay very close to Lord Griffon. She turns back to Rachav, speaking back in her normal voice. Rachav-chan, Would you do me the honor of sparing with me tonight? perhaps Swiftpaw-san would like to join in as well?

Swiftpaw gulps, looking nervous. But Mamma-san, I am nowhere near as skilled as you two are. Kikyo looks over at the coyote. You will not become more skillful, if you do not try to face challenges before you.Swiftpaw tucks back her ears. In that case, It would be my great honor to join you tonight. With a smart bow. An get my fuzzy butt kicked.

The wolf almost jumped out of his furry flesh as he heard the rabbit's words, strange for a wolf to be so easily frightened by just a rabbit, and tried to grin as friendly as possible towards the rabbit. He shrugged his shoulders and replied,

"I am just looking around rabbit," looking round at the other homes of the woodland creatures, "Your home is really amazing I must say," his mind lost in the sights of the scurrying of other animals in the treeline and bushes, possibly frightened of him.

"Well, then," Griffon said, ears twitching as the others spoke, "Might as well put you on the hauling squad. It doesn't require any skill, just some brawn. Going from point A to point B. Easy. The walk's mostly downhill on the way to the new location, so you shouldn't have much of a problem even with your ankle."

North nodded. "Okay, that's fine." Lifting stuff should be easy for him.

caelei wrote:

"Lord Griffon might have asked me to take it easy on you. And you may expect me to because of your... condition. But you had better pull your weight. I will not have freeloaders in this camp. No matter how soft Griffon wants me to be."

North looked down at his wrapped foot and then back up at the Doberman, matching her stare. (He had to angle his head up alittle cause of the height). "My foot's not gonna hold me back." The GSD replied sternly. "I don't care what your 'Lord' said. Just give me a job and I'll get it done." North repositioned his feet so he was standing on them straight, with equal weight on both. It hurt, but he wanted to show the other dog that he could, as the other dog said "pull his weight" and then some. He softened his stare and gave a brief nod to show he wasn't being challenging, but just showing he could handle anything she gave him.

Felix handed Conker the bucket, "No, I really don't," he said, "its one of those things that doesn't matter much to me so I tend not to think about it. I think there might be a handful near the creeks? Maybe some closer to the human cities." He looked around then, to confirm what direction he had to go. Then, went in exactly the opposite direction, not that anyone else would know. Part of being a good predator was to make sure NO ONE had a clue where your home was. "Okay, this won't take too long."

A good fifteen to twenty minutes later, he reached his den. It wasn't recognizable to anyone who hadn't seen it before. Its grass and leaf rooft was concealed by bushes. The entrance was a small gap in them that began to run underground. At the end of it was a piece of wood that covered the door. He slid it to the side and climbed down inside. There, he began to root around in search of some cooking materials. "So, have you ever cooked before?" he asked as he looked around.

(OOC: Are wild animals going to be about human-size then as they are in the comic, IE: the wolves?)

Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:59 pm

caelei

Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:42 pmPosts: 683Location: Oh, you know.

Re: Pet Friendly: Haven

Quote:

She turns back to Rachav, speaking back in her normal voice. Rachav-chan, Would you do me the honor of sparing with me tonight? perhaps Swiftpaw-san would like to join in as well?

Rachav paused, but a certain fire could be seen glittering in her eye. "I accept your invitation, Lady Kikyo," she said, expression unchanging, "And this time I will be prepared." A fierce, sharp-toothed grin threatened to break her icy exterior. Rachav stifled it, breathing deeply. She barely gave Swiftpaw a second glance, but that was all in due course. Swiftpaw still had to prove herself, in Rachav's eyes. Griffon might accept pups and weaklings, but until they proved their merit, especially when it came to their ability to protect the camp, they were hardly worth considering. And speaking of which...

Quote:

"I don't care what your 'Lord' said. Just give me a job and I'll get it done." North repositioned his feet so he was standing on them straight, with equal weight on both. It hurt, but he wanted to show the other dog that he could, as the other dog said "pull his weight" and then some. He softened his stare and gave a brief nod to show he wasn't being challenging, but just showing he could handle anything she gave him.

Rachav nearly growled when she heard the sarcasm in this GSD's voice, directed at Griffon. Disrespecting the camp leader? In earshot of all the other members, and in front of Swiftpaw? It was a good thing this GSD wasn't staying. He would not have many friends in the camp if he kept bad-mouthing Griffon. Even if he did so a subtle manner. Rachav had no tolerance for such actions. However, she did have control. She maintained eye contact, and didn't let him see how he had ruffled her feathers (well, her fur). He did not know all that Griffon had done for this camp. Without Griffon, there wouldn't be a camp. And Rachav would be alone.

She simply nodded back to the GSD, her silence cool. She understood intuitively that he wasn't trying to present a challenge. But he had better watch his step. Rachav had better control than most, but that didn't mean that she didn't have a short fuse. She was simply more successful at disguising her emotions."Lady Kikyo, if you wish to join us in our task you may." She made no mention of Swiftpaw, looking to North. "If we are ready... Let's go." She started briskly off, winding her way through the many tents of the camp, ducking around corners, nodding at some members, completely ignoring others. One particular tent she let her gaze linger on, though it looked no different from the rest. A low murmuring could be heard from inside it. Then she swiftly slid her gaze away and continued on, walking with definite purpose. Most who were working did not get in her way. She headed directly for a large pile of supplies and rolled tents near the boundary of the camp, which a trickle of workers (five in all) was helping to demolish. Rachav herself grabbed a rolled tent, hoisting it over and up, onto one strong shoulder. She squatted and scooped up a woven basket loaded with surplus medical supplies (there were no typical boxes or artificial cloths in evidence) and lifted it so that she held it close to her body with one arm. She turned to look at North, careful of upsetting her balance and of the tent that stuck out, threatening to *wump* someone if they got too near as she moved. "Here are the supplies we must help to haul. Carry as much as you can, and I will show you the way. Do not think of stealing, or returning to this place after you leave the camp. You will not be treated kindly if you do."

Meanwhile...Pavelle breathed out a sigh as Conker agreed to take the baskets to the wolf. She idly noted that the rabbit, Jack, seemed to plan his actions in order to be contrary to his sister's desires. Childish, but then again. He was practically a child. She purposefully ignored the fact that, if she estimated correctly, she herself was probably around the same age as he...

Pavelle snapped to as Felix began the short walk to his den. Well. Short by his standards. Back home, you could get to anywhere you wanted to go within five minutes, and usually less than that. But then again, this was not back home. She was painfully aware of that fact as she tried to keep up. By the time they all finally got to Felix's home, Pavelle was busy hiding the fact that she had started to breathe hard. ((End 3)) Though if she was being honest with herself, there was another reason her heartbeat had elevated. It had become apparent to her during their little walk that Felix was choosing a rather... strange route. ((Per 7, Int 9)) Now, she didn't know this forest. She didn't know what natural dangers there were, or where they would present themselves. So Felix could, possibly, just be leading them all about, avoiding unconsciously the dangers that he knew of and automatically correcting his own position in relation to them. Simple as that. An unconscious defense mechanism, learnt through experience.

However, Pavelle did know that despite the fact that he seemed like a nice guy, and despite the fact that he had given her a knife, and had chosen to offer himself to teach her, she didn't really know Felix all that well. They had only met today, after all. He was as good as a stranger, as were all the others, the rabbits and wolf and squirrel. She was also aware of the fact that she had told this Felix about her own Felix, had told him that he would come looking for her. And if this lynx wanted to lure her somewhere, to his den or otherwise, it would be a wise choice for him to lead her about, confuse her, frighten her (intentionally or not)... And it would be a wise choice for him to try to shake her own Felix off their trail, or at least slow him down. Which he had just done.

She hesitated for a moment before following him down into the ground, into his den.If this Felix had mal intent, she was in trouble. Even with the knife. And Jack could be in as much trouble as she was.She hoped for both their sake that they could trust Felix. And she hoped especially that he'd told the truth about not liking raccoon meat...

Quote:

"So, have you ever cooked before?"

The look on Pavelle's face would probably seem comical to an outside viewer. For a second her heart stuttered to a halt. Then it picked up, beating twice as fast as before. She swallowed. His asking that... well, it was an innocent enough question. But in conjunction with her own thoughts... and thinking, too, of those dumb Bugs Bunny TV shows Mag used to watch so religiously back home and especially of Wile E. Coyote and his taste for rabbit stew...She managed to stammer out, "N-Not much a-a-at home." And also managed to keep from bolting. She didn't attempt to approach Felix.

Meanwhile...Pavelle breathed out a sigh as Conker agreed to take the baskets to the wolf. She idly noted that the rabbit, Jack, seemed to plan his actions in order to be contrary to his sister's desires. Childish, but then again. He was practically a child. She purposefully ignored the fact that, if she estimated correctly, she herself was probably around the same age as he...

Pavelle snapped to as Felix began the short walk to his den. Well. Short by his standards. Back home, you could get to anywhere you wanted to go within five minutes, and usually less than that. But then again, this was not back home. She was painfully aware of that fact as she tried to keep up. By the time they all finally got to Felix's home, Pavelle was busy hiding the fact that she had started to breathe hard. ((End 3)) Though if she was being honest with herself, there was another reason her heartbeat had elevated. It had become apparent to her during their little walk that Felix was choosing a rather... strange route. ((Per 7, Int 9)) Now, she didn't know this forest. She didn't know what natural dangers there were, or where they would present themselves. So Felix could, possibly, just be leading them all about, avoiding unconsciously the dangers that he knew of and automatically correcting his own position in relation to them. Simple as that. An unconscious defense mechanism, learnt through experience.

However, Pavelle did know that despite the fact that he seemed like a nice guy, and despite the fact that he had given her a knife, and had chosen to offer himself to teach her, she didn't really know Felix all that well. They had only met today, after all. He was as good as a stranger, as were all the others, the rabbits and wolf and squirrel. She was also aware of the fact that she had told this Felix about her own Felix, had told him that he would come looking for her. And if this lynx wanted to lure her somewhere, to his den or otherwise, it would be a wise choice for him to lead her about, confuse her, frighten her (intentionally or not)... And it would be a wise choice for him to try to shake her own Felix off their trail, or at least slow him down. Which he had just done.

She hesitated for a moment before following him down into the ground, into his den.If this Felix had mal intent, she was in trouble. Even with the knife. And Jack could be in as much trouble as she was.She hoped for both their sake that they could trust Felix. And she hoped especially that he'd told the truth about not liking raccoon meat...

Quote:

"So, have you ever cooked before?"

The look on Pavelle's face would probably seem comical to an outside viewer. For a second her heart stuttered to a halt. Then it picked up, beating twice as fast as before. She swallowed. His asking that... well, it was an innocent enough question. But in conjunction with her own thoughts... and thinking, too, of those dumb Bugs Bunny TV shows Mag used to watch so religiously back home and especially of Wile E. Coyote and his taste for rabbit stew...She managed to stammer out, "N-Not much a-a-at home." And also managed to keep from bolting. She didn't attempt to approach Felix.

"Not really. We usually eat raw foods," Jack said. "And the few times we didn't, Jess did the cooking."

_________________I'm a shape-shifter. I'm currently in whatever form I feel likeParadigm Shift by meI do not actually believe any of what I'm saying.RP character sheets

Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:36 pm

Roarin

Game Master

Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:33 pmPosts: 2778Location: Agloe, New York

Re: Pet Friendly: Haven

caelei wrote:

She started briskly off, winding her way through the many tents of the camp, ducking around corners, nodding at some members, completely ignoring others. One particular tent she let her gaze linger on, though it looked no different from the rest. A low murmuring could be heard from inside it. Then she swiftly slid her gaze away and continued on, walking with definite purpose. Most who were working did not get in her way.

North followed a few feet behind the Doberman, able to keep up with not much trouble. Except unlike for Rachav, the various workers didn't seem to make any effort to clear the way for the shepherd. As he trailed behind the other dog, his ears swiveled and twitched, listening to all the animals talking and working. Everyone seemed to be busy doing something. Now that he thought of it. This whole community had a similar resemblance to that of native American tribes. All the tents, the traveling. It was a superficial comparison, but it was just his opinion.

caelei wrote:

She turned to look at North, careful of upsetting her balance and of the tent that stuck out, threatening to *wump* someone if they got too near as she moved. "Here are the supplies we must help to haul. Carry as much as you can, and I will show you the way. Do not think of stealing, or returning to this place after you leave the camp. You will not be treated kindly if you do."

"Thought didn't even cross my mind." North responded. Whether the remark was sarcastic or not was left up to opinion. He looked around for a sizable load to carry and spotted a large tent, much like the one the Doberman was carrying. The GSD walked over and with some noticeable effort, awkwardly hoisted the tent onto his left shoulder. He wobbled alittle from the weight, almost hitting a passing worker in the head, but found his balance. Okay... So far so good. As he stood there he found he could lean on his left leg, so his right, bandaged foot, didn't have so much weight on it. Course he couldn't do that when he was walking, but he found that if he quickly stepped with his left foot right after he stepped with his right, he could manage. North just hoped it wasn't noticeable. Once he comfortably situated the tent onto his shoulder he was ready to go. "Lead the way."

Rachav paused, but a certain fire could be seen glittering in her eye. "I accept your invitation, Lady Kikyo," she said, expression unchanging, "And this time I will be prepared."

Kikyo grins back coyly at Rachav. I am honored at your acceptance Rachav-chan, I sure hope that you will be. I humbly like to think of myself as a good teacher.

Since it was getting to late afternoon now, Swiftpaw slipped out to go check on her trap lines. She had been in camp too long, she knew she had to get back out into the woods, making sure there was no one else prowling about in the forest.. who knows who could be looking for the new GSD out in the woods.

caelei wrote:

"Lady Kikyo, if you wish to join us in our task you may." She made no mention of Swiftpaw, looking to North. "If we are ready... Let's go."

Oh i see Kikyo giggles..You want to see this old dog worn out before the match.Kikyo teases, before packing up several baskets to carry off.

Oh i see Kikyo giggles..You want to see this old dog worn out before the match.

"Am I that easy to see through?" Rachav muttered under her breath, shaking her head. The hint of a smile could be seen, twitching at the corners of her mouth before the usual scowl returned.

Quote:

"Lead the way."

"Over here," Rachav said, turning and stalking off into the forest. The weight of the items she was carrying didn't seem much to bother her, and she walked rather briskly. If a person wasn't to do his work quickly, effeciently, correctly... there was no use for him. And speaking of which...She turned her head sideways and spoke to North over her shoulder. "Why did Swiftpaw bring you here? I hope, Lady Kikyo, you haven't lead her to believe she has earned recruiting privileges already. She has not been us nearly long enough to endanger us in such a way. Bringing a liability to this place. She should be punished."

((Sorry in my last reply I didn't respond to razgriz's question! Just completely forgot! ^^'Some wild animals would definitely be of human size. Though I believe that may mostly apply to predators. Like, Daxter will be as tall as a human. However, I imagine other wild animals, like rabbits, raccoons, foxes, etc. will be pet-sized as usual. I don't know exactly what the specific rule is, or if there is a rule, but perhaps we should say it's a "hundred-pound" limit, or something. If your type of animal can weigh over 100 lbs in real life, then how about it is able to be as big as a human? If not... it's pet-sized. For example, my Great Dane Magnus (in RV) is as tall as a human... and Great Danes can weigh 120 pounds irl, so... yeah. If anyone objects to the rule, say so in the OOC. Just saying... It also probably just depends on how height applies to your character, specifically. I imagine a lynx would not be as tall as a human, unless he was exceptionally big.

And as for the current time...It started off early-to-mid morning, so... let's say early afternoon? Perhaps 1:00?))

She turned her head sideways and spoke to North over her shoulder. "Why did Swiftpaw bring you here? I hope, Lady Kikyo, you haven't lead her to believe she has earned recruiting privileges already. She has not been us nearly long enough to endanger us in such a way. Bringing a liability to this place. She should be punished."

Lady Kikyo's mood darkened. I beg forgiveness. I have not lead her to engage in such activities alone. I was shocked to find out that she had done so. Not only could i have lost one of my favored pups, No one should have ever known that one of scouts was ever around.

Kikyo looks over at North. Swiftpaw should have slipped off, and reported your presence in the forest back to the camp, Or at least have joined up with one of the wide patrols and lead them to you. No offense intended, North-san. it would have just been safer for all.

Lady Kikyo turns back to regard Rachav. And just what kind of punishment would you recommend Rachav-chan?

"Over here," Rachav said, turning and stalking off into the forest. The weight of the items she was carrying didn't seem much to bother her, and she walked rather briskly. If a person wasn't to do his work quickly, effeciently, correctly... there was no use for him. And speaking of which...She turned her head sideways and spoke to North over her shoulder. "Why did Swiftpaw bring you here? I hope, Lady Kikyo, you haven't lead her to believe she has earned recruiting privileges already. She has not been us nearly long enough to endanger us in such a way. Bringing a liability to this place. She should be punished."

North shrugged (which he found was a hard thing to do with a tent on his shoulder). "Beats me. Maybe she thought I would be useful to you guys. Maybe she wanted to try to convince me to join you guys by bringing me here. Maybe she was just being nice...". The GSD followed the dog, keeping up with her brisk pace despite his subtle limping. But truthbetold, he was glad someone found him. Or else he'd probably be cursing to himself under that same tree right now. It took him a minute but he finally registered what Rachav said into his brain. "And hey! Who are you calling a liability?"

Rachav turned her head forward again, ducking a low-hanging branch, maintaining balance. "Deduction of status. Confinement to camp. She will not be a danger if she is kept close. Extensive reteaching of our methods before she is allowed to reclaim her scouting duties. And certainly the reminder that it is her duty to think before acting." Rachav's eyes were cold. "However. Her punishment, if any, is Griffon's territory. I should not impinge. That is the only reason I did not deal with her directly when I saw her. Griffon should have reprimanded her severely for bringing an outsider in in such a manner." Rachav's frown deepened.

Quote:

"Beats me. Maybe she thought I would be useful to you guys. Maybe she wanted to try to convince me to join you guys by bringing me here. Maybe she was just being nice..."

Rachav snorted, turning her cool gaze to North. "'Nice' is not what is necessary. 'Nice' is a risk I am not willing to take. 'Nice' gets people hurt, killed. 'Nice' is useless out here."

Quote:

"And hey! Who are you calling a liability?"

"As for that... if you cannot answer that question yourself, then you most certainly are. I have no tolerance for idiots, hotheads, those who won't admit when they are not physically at one-hundred percent, and so jeopardize the whole by angling as macho dogs who 'work through pain' and unwittingly risk everything, including their own legs." She cast her eyes purposefully to his limp, then back up to his face. "You are a liability. Griffon may welcome you, and I do not know if Lady Kikyo does or does not. But I most certainly do not."

Rachav snorted, turning her cool gaze to North. "'Nice' is not what is necessary. 'Nice' is a risk I am not willing to take. 'Nice' gets people hurt, killed. 'Nice' is useless out here."

"Killed?" North muttered softly to no one in particular.

caelei wrote:

"As for that... if you cannot answer that question yourself, then you most certainly are. I have no tolerance for idiots, hotheads, those who won't admit when they are not physically at one-hundred percent, and so jeopardize the whole by angling as macho dogs who 'work through pain' and unwittingly risk everything, including their own legs." She cast her eyes purposefully to his limp, then back up to his face. "You are a liability. Griffon may welcome you, and I do not know if Lady Kikyo does or does not. But I most certainly do not."

"I..." North eyes slowly drifted to his feet and he continued walking in silence for a few minutes. "Look." The GSD stared back at the taller dog. His gaze didn't look defeated, but...tired. North shook his head. "I don't have to explain myself to you guys. I just gotta finish." He repositioned the tent on his shoulder and straightened his step so he didn't look like he was limping. "And I'm not admitting I'm at one-hundred perfect. I mean... Its obvious but..."Im just saying I don't let it get in the way." There was clear confidence in the last words he said. "So let me just get this done... okay?"

"Deduction of status. Confinement to camp. She will not be a danger if she is kept close. Extensive reteaching of our methods before she is allowed to reclaim her scouting duties. And certainly the reminder that it is her duty to think before acting." Rachav's eyes were cold. "However. Her punishment, if any, is Griffon's territory. I should not impinge. That is the only reason I did not deal with her directly when I saw her. Griffon should have reprimanded her severely for bringing an outsider in in such a manner." Rachav's frown deepened.

Lady Kikyo thought this through for a while. She would have to come up with some sort of punishment for the coyote, or risk having the hot headed doberman doing something to her out in the forest, away from her sight in the camp. Lady Kikyo was glad, "this time", that Griffon was always slow about taking her suggestions and then acting on them. Else Rachav might have been Swiftpaws direct commander, or her overall commander if she happened to become the Caption of the guard. Then Kikyo wouldn't have been able to protect her young coyote pup. Then an idea hit her, she could kill three stones with one bird! I beg to differ, You forget that she is also one of are best Hunters. the fish she sent in this morning, is the only fresh meat the hunters have caught so far today. And i have no idea just how she managed to catch a catfish nearly as big as she is. Pulling her from the field to confine her to camp, would be punishing the whole camp, not her.Kikyo weighed her options. I humbly suggest we tie her to a tree, and if North-san here will consent. whip her with a tree limb, until you are satisfied that she has learned her lesson. I believe this will more directly teach her the danger strangers could pose. As well as her responsibilities as a scout. Kikyo sighed deeply at having to throw the young coyote to the wolves so to speak. But #1, She will learn not to do that again. and will surely act like a proper scout from now on.#2, it will appease Rachav, that Swiftpaw will get firmly punished like she desires her to be. #3, It will be a good test of this new dogs willingness to follow orders, no matter how despicable they may seem. Kikyo doubted he would try to intently harm the coyote, as Rachav might, if she was given the chance to have at her. So Swiftpaw will get away with just a few lashing bruises, to remind her of her place. but otherwise no harm will be done.

"I don't have to explain myself to you guys. I just gotta finish." He repositioned the tent on his shoulder and straightened his step so he didn't look like he was limping. "And I'm not admitting I'm at one-hundred perfect. I mean... Its obvious but..."Im just saying I don't let it get in the way." There was clear confidence in the last words he said. "So let me just get this done... okay?"

"That is all I expect," Rachav said, "And I never asked for an explanation. Skip it. I don't want to hear it. Whatever you said would be moot, regardless. Many of us have had rough lives." She shook her head. "None of that matters now. We are here."

Quote:

I beg to differ, You forget that she is also one of are best Hunters. the fish she sent in this morning, is the only fresh meat the hunters have caught so far today. And i have no idea just how she managed to catch a catfish nearly as big as she is. Pulling her from the field to confine her to camp, would be punishing the whole camp, not her.Kikyo weighed her options. I humbly suggest we tie her to a tree, and if North-san here will consent. whip her with a tree limb, until you are satisfied that she has learned her lesson. I believe this will more directly teach her the danger strangers could pose. As well as her responsibilities as a scout.

"Her hunting ability has no place in this discussion. Had this GSD been dangerous, intent to hurt us, an enemy... there might have been less mouths to feed by the end of the day. I myself would rather starve than have to bury one of my comrades." Rachav looked to Kikyo. Her fist tightened on the tent she was carrying, though her expression didn't alter in any way.

"A whipping will not help anything. As you said earlier, it would just be punishing the entire camp, through her. We have to concern ourselves with morale, Lady. Empty bellies would certainly depress the lot of them, but so would the fear of physical punishment the first time they stepped out of line. A smart leader does not rule with fear. A strong leader does not have to. And it is not wise to give such a responsibility to an outsider, even if he would consent. He has already made it seem that he is not willing to join our encampment. Griffon may believe in lost causes. I do not. Things are not yet that desperate. Perhaps if our numbers further dwindle I would put aside my pride and get on my belly to beg... but that is not relevant today. For now, I approve only of members that are willing to be here. Having a rebel in the group trying to upset things, and spreading belligerence and dislike will do more harm than the possible gain of having one extra pair of paws."

Last edited by caelei on Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mon Sep 03, 2012 10:41 am

Roarin

Game Master

Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:33 pmPosts: 2778Location: Agloe, New York

Re: Pet Friendly: Haven

caelei wrote:

"That is all I expect," Rachav said, "And I never asked for an explanation. Skip it. I don't want to hear it. Whatever you said would be moot, regardless. Many of us have had rough lives." She shook her head. "None of that matters now. We are here."

"We. are. here..." North repeated. "Hmm..." He mused over what the doberman said in his mind. Letting the words set in. "That's a good saying." The GSD murmured. His eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to go into deep thought.

Keeshah wrote:

I humbly suggest we tie her to a tree, and if North-san here will consent. whip her with a tree limb, until you are satisfied that she has learned her lesson.I believe this will more directly teach her the danger strangers could pose. As well as her responsibilities as a scout.

North opened his mouth and was about to protest when the doberman answered first. He let out an audible sigh of relief when Rachav finished her speech and continued walking without another sound.

Meanwhile...Pavelle breathed out a sigh as Conker agreed to take the baskets to the wolf. She idly noted that the rabbit, Jack, seemed to plan his actions in order to be contrary to his sister's desires. Childish, but then again. He was practically a child. She purposefully ignored the fact that, if she estimated correctly, she herself was probably around the same age as he...

Pavelle snapped to as Felix began the short walk to his den. Well. Short by his standards. Back home, you could get to anywhere you wanted to go within five minutes, and usually less than that. But then again, this was not back home. She was painfully aware of that fact as she tried to keep up. By the time they all finally got to Felix's home, Pavelle was busy hiding the fact that she had started to breathe hard. ((End 3)) Though if she was being honest with herself, there was another reason her heartbeat had elevated. It had become apparent to her during their little walk that Felix was choosing a rather... strange route. ((Per 7, Int 9)) Now, she didn't know this forest. She didn't know what natural dangers there were, or where they would present themselves. So Felix could, possibly, just be leading them all about, avoiding unconsciously the dangers that he knew of and automatically correcting his own position in relation to them. Simple as that. An unconscious defense mechanism, learnt through experience.

However, Pavelle did know that despite the fact that he seemed like a nice guy, and despite the fact that he had given her a knife, and had chosen to offer himself to teach her, she didn't really know Felix all that well. They had only met today, after all. He was as good as a stranger, as were all the others, the rabbits and wolf and squirrel. She was also aware of the fact that she had told this Felix about her own Felix, had told him that he would come looking for her. And if this lynx wanted to lure her somewhere, to his den or otherwise, it would be a wise choice for him to lead her about, confuse her, frighten her (intentionally or not)... And it would be a wise choice for him to try to shake her own Felix off their trail, or at least slow him down. Which he had just done.

She hesitated for a moment before following him down into the ground, into his den.If this Felix had mal intent, she was in trouble. Even with the knife. And Jack could be in as much trouble as she was.She hoped for both their sake that they could trust Felix. And she hoped especially that he'd told the truth about not liking raccoon meat...

Quote:

"So, have you ever cooked before?"

The look on Pavelle's face would probably seem comical to an outside viewer. For a second her heart stuttered to a halt. Then it picked up, beating twice as fast as before. She swallowed. His asking that... well, it was an innocent enough question. But in conjunction with her own thoughts... and thinking, too, of those dumb Bugs Bunny TV shows Mag used to watch so religiously back home and especially of Wile E. Coyote and his taste for rabbit stew...She managed to stammer out, "N-Not much a-a-at home." And also managed to keep from bolting. She didn't attempt to approach Felix.

"Not really. We usually eat raw foods," Jack said. "And the few times we didn't, Jess did the cooking."

"We'll have to fix that" Felix said, "Its not that hard. Though, we're going to cheat a bit on this and use some stuff from the humans." He came out with a bucket. It was cold to the touch, due to an old Native American trick. He then realized the little raccoon was breathing hard from the walk. "Maybe we'll teach you how to take really long walks and not die of asphyixiation." Then with a few more materials he sat down a little stove and a fairly large pot over it.

"Now, one thing to remember is that, while the humans aren't quite friendly to us, knowing the right people will make life here much easier," he lit the stove. It was a new device, it would burn ANYTHING fed into it, then output heat and electrical power. "My friend from the zoo bought this for me a while back... Occasionally he helps me find a source of the humans' money to buy other things like this." He opened the bucket and pulled out some turkey meat to drop in the pot, then some turkey broth as a base, then lastly some egg noodles. After that, the bucket went back to the nature-cooler. When he came back there was a spoon in hand as he stirred the pot. "Now, this is a really simple thing. Its fat, protein and some noodles to provide grains. Its not a large amount, but it'll do."

After a few minutes, the food finished cooking rather quickly and he put the lid on it. Quickly, the cat put away the stove, stretched and looked down. "So, my little ring-tailed friend, shall I carry you back so we can see our wolf friend a little bit faster?" Felix offered as he knelt down to grab the pot.

OOC: I thought both rabbits were back with the wolf? Felix really didn't want anyone but Pavelle to see the den... Paranoia...

"A whipping will not help anything. As you said earlier, it would just be punishing the entire camp, through her. We have to concern ourselves with morale, Lady. Empty bellies would certainly depress the lot of them, but so would the fear of physical punishment the first time they stepped out of line.

Kikyo looks surprised, was she still talking to the same doberman that demanded perfection, on the first try for everyone? Has she now cracked to start showing a soft caring side??I don't see how the whipping would effect the camp in any but a positive way. I'm certainly not advocating a "the beatings shall continue until morale improves" kind of mentality, or using such methods for small, minor offenses. But for actions that could have endangered the entire group. Everyone should know that there will be consequences, if you engage in thoughtless, reckless, or careless types of actions.

caelei wrote:

A smart leader does not rule with fear. A strong leader does not have to. And it is not wise to give such a responsibility to an outsider, even if he would consent. He has already made it seem that he is not willing to join our encampment.

Kikyo nearly broke out laughing, having to politely cough into her paw. Thinking about all of those big muscle bound oafs, Griffon keeps close at paw as his personal henchmen. If that not rule by intimidation, and fear. what is? I suspect he is judging us as we are him. So we should show him what life is really like here, so he knows what he is getting into, and what might be expected of him.Kikyo looks over at the GSD, with a sly wink.

caelei wrote:

Griffon may believe in lost causes. I do not. Things are not yet that desperate. Perhaps if our numbers further dwindle I would put aside my pride and get on my belly to beg... but that is not relevant today. For now, I approve only of members that are willing to be here. Having a rebel in the group trying to upset things, and spreading belligerence and dislike will do more harm than the possible gain of having one extra pair of paws."

Things are not desperate? We were over 110 strong, when we down in the valley a few years ago. Then when we had to escaped up into the mountains, we had just 50 members left, collecting up a few ferals along the way to get up to 60. Then after that Ranger round-up last year, there is only 40 or so left, as they took away the domestics they caught. At-least the ferals were tagged, processed and released back to us. But we lost a lot of valuable, and needed skills sets. There are no lost causes, we don't have have the luxury of picking and choosing who we can get to join. It's just what can we make the best of, what we got.

"We. are. here..." North repeated. "Hmm..." He mused over what the doberman said in his mind. Letting the words set in. "That's a good saying."

"I suggest you keep in it mind, then," the Doberman said smartly, though it appeared that North was already doing just that, his expression showing clearly that he was drifting off along an unknown line of thought.

Quote:

I don't see how the whipping would effect the camp in any but a positive way. I'm certainly not advocating a "the beatings shall continue until morale improves" kind of mentality, or using such methods for small, minor offenses. But for actions that could have endangered the entire group. Everyone should know that there will be consequences, if you engage in thoughtless, reckless, or careless types of actions.

"Perhaps you misunderstood me," Rachav said. She was forced to look away from the old Akita as she corrected their coarse, using her eyes as well as her nose to follow the path a few of the scouts had laid through the woods, leading directly to the new camp. They were nearing their destination. "I meant that Swiftpaw's whipping would lower the morale of the entire camp, not that the camp should use beatings to "improve morale." Intimidation can be effective. But it can also cause resentment. I should know. Many in the camp resent me." She smiled for the first time, and one could tell the expression was not familiar on her face. It was too sharp, the edge of a knife. It disappeared as fast as it'd come, and she opened her mouth to say more. There was a pause. Then she abruptly snapped her jaws shut, and veered to the right. Her voice turned lazy, uninterested. "We're close. And I grow tired of this discussion. Whip her or do not. After all. You are my superior, Lady Kikyo. I have no say in this matter if you wish to become involved." Rachav's ears were laid back, flat to her head. Her tone suggested that she was dropping the subject, but her fingers were still clenched against the tent she was holding.

Quote:

I suspect he is judging us as we are him. So we should show him what life is really like here, so he knows what he is getting into, and what might be expected of him.

There are no lost causes, we don't have have the luxury of picking and choosing who we can get to join. It's just what can we make the best of, what we got.

Rachav carefully maintained the same bored tone. "We do not yet "have" this GSD. I think he rather despises the idea of our camp already." She shot an appraising look at North, sizing him up. After a moment, she corrected, "Or at least some aspects of it. As you said, he has been judging us. And I believe that we have come up short." The willowy Doberman marched towards a patch of pines that had grown rather closely together. It was clear that many others had gone in the same direction; some of the trees' branches had snapped, and the ground was loosely, faintly upturned, from the light steps of multiple paws going back and forth through the trees. "Right through here." She seemed to be withdrawing from the conversation, cutting her sentences shorter, stiffer. It would not do for her to allow herself to shoot her mouth off again. She had done so many times, and in the presence of the wrong people. Griffon included. Lady Kikyo was higher than Rachav on the food chain, as it were. It would do Rachav good to try to remember that... no matter how much she disliked the idea of giving in, which was just not in her nature. But anything for the good of the camp. Anything.

Meanwhile...

Quote:

"So, my little ring-tailed friend, shall I carry you back so we can see our wolf friend a little bit faster?"

Pavelle had been intensely relieved, nearly enough to make her legs wobble, when the Lynx started making some sort of turkey and noodle soup (instead of raccoon and rabbit soup). She managed to take a few steps nearer so she could observe the process, head spinning as the war within her struggled on... one side saying that she was being an idiot, that she could trust Felix, and the other side saying that he was a stranger, that she needed to go back to find her own Felix. And a third side saying... Her stomach rumbled....that she was suddenly starving. She put a hand to her belly, and tried not to inhale the aroma of the soup. Simple as it was, it still smelled good. She and her Felix had been away from regular civilization for a few days. No more instant meals. Cold stews in cans, or Poptarts, or coffee and danishes from the Wall back in RV. Just... scavenging. Berries. Some nuts. Maybe a few kinds of leaves, she didn't know. She hadn't much been interested in food, of late. And that was why she shouldn't be interested in this food. This was for the wolf. Not for her. Greed had always been at the forefront of her nature. Back home it had always been shiny things, things to steal and sell. The more money, the better. Now it appeared she was going to stoop to wanting to steal nourishing food from a sick wolf, who was in need of help. She pressed a hand against her stomach, hoping it wouldn't growl again.

Though of course her hunger would only make her look even more weak and pathetic in the eyes of the forest creatures. Jack and Felix. And he already thought she was so helpless he had to carry her. Urgh. She finally answered his question, trying to sound chipper. Energy. She just needed to be a better actress. Energy. She could pretend to be stronger than she was. She'd done just that for most of her life, after all. "No, no. I couldn't ask you to do that. I can keep up. I promise. And if not... you can just leave me in the woods. My Felix will find me eventually." There. She gave him the best smile she could muster. That should be good enough. Right?

Though North showed no sign of joining in the conversation he was as Kikyo and Rachav suspected, picking up every word they said. His ears twitched and swiveled as he listened to bits and pieces of information. He followed Rachav into the freshly trod on ground and shifted the position of his tent one more time on his shoulders. While listening through their whole conversation his mind wandered onto an important detail in his near future. What would he do after he was done with his job. If he was going to leave then where would he go? Being used to a life with a routine made it hard for North to plan ahead, but he knew he'd have to do it from now on. We may be "here" but... what happens next?

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